A Soul's Cry for Help
by BloomingViolets
Summary: BA. An alternate version to the Season Four episode "Deep Down." Crossover with BtVS.
1. Prologue

My first Buffy/Angel fanfic! Criticism and reviews are greatly appreciated, but no flames – if there is something you don't like about the way I write or the way I portrayed the characters please let me know without sounding all rude and judgmental. List reasons if you don't like something! I don't bite! (grins)

This fic starts at the end of season six of _Buffy_ and at the end of season three of _Angel_ and then goes into the start of season four of _Angel_. I never liked the whole storyline with Justine and Holtz and I believe that Buffy and Angel are soul mates and that no matter what; she would always know when he was in trouble and vice versa. This is my version of what I think should have happened when Wes rescued Angel from the bottom of the ocean!

**Disclaimer:** Really, _really_ broke college student. Please don't sue. All characters belong to Joss Whedon. I own nothing you recognize, I just borrow and play and then put them back when I'm done.

xxx

Buffy groaned as she was thrown backwards into the dirt filled wall, the sword she had been carrying falling to the ground with her as she landed painfully onto her side. She heard Dawn's panicked cry as her sister shouted her name and Buffy pushed herself back up, gripping her weapon as she did so. The faceless zombie that was coming at her didn't stand a chance as the blonde swung her sword around in a circular motion, cutting off its head and turning it to dust.

More of the creatures came at her and she was back to back with Dawn, her sword held firmly in front of her. She kicked at one of the zombies, sending it stumbling a little. Another came at her in its place and managed to get in a lucky hit to her face. She was tired, bruised and bloodied but she was determined to win this fight and to get out and help Willow.

She destroyed two more and was thrown back once again, sending her crashing to the ground; her breath knocked out of her and her entire body aching. Without warning, she felt something hit her, a feeling of pain, confusion, disbelief and sadness over coming her entire being. Buffy cried out and gasped, knowing that something was entirely wrong. She knew that the zombies hadn't done anything to her – they hadn't touched her, nor was it magic. There was a tingle in her neck and this feeling was more intimate and she felt it down to the very depths of her soul. Something was _very, very _wrong.

It could only mean one thing.

Buffy snapped back to reality as she heard Dawn's yelp of pain. Now was not the time to be contemplating the feeling she had. First, she had to take care of the battle she was currently engaged in and when she was done dealing with Willow's End-of-the-World Apocalypse, she'd find out just what that feeling meant.

She threw punch after punch and was beginning to become frustrated as more and more creatures kept appearing. She was worried about Dawn, hoping that her sister was holding her own – if she was tired, then surely Dawn must have been exhausted by this point. Briefly, she wondered just how long they could keep fighting. And then, suddenly, all of the zombies in front of them turned to dust and the siblings stood alone. Buffy blinked, hardly daring to believe that they were safe.

"What happened?" Dawn asked, sounding just as confused as she felt.

She glanced around and then up at the brightening sky. The sun shone through the graveyard they were trapped in and Buffy reveled in the warmth. For the first time since her resurrection, the slayer felt that things would be okay. She took a deep breath and then placed her hand on her chest where her heart laid beating within.

_Everything will be okay._

xxx

She was packing clothes frantically into an overnight bag as Dawn hovered close to her bed. As soon as she had made sure everyone was alright, that Willow was alright, Buffy had headed straight home. From the looks that Dawn was giving her, she was sure that everyone thought she had lost her mind. And it wasn't as if Buffy could explain the feeling she had in that grave, she just knew that she had to get to Los Angeles as soon as possible.

She had learned a long time ago to always trust her instincts.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Dawn asked. "We don't even know that anything's wrong."

"I don't know, Dawn," Buffy moved into the bathroom to grab her shampoo and conditioner and then threw them into her bag. "All I know is what I feel. And no one picked up the phone when I called, which is unusual."

"They could be out at a movie?" Dawn suggested. Deep down, the younger Summers' daughter knew that if her sister had an instinct about something, it was usually right. She sighed running a hand through her long brown locks. "Just be careful, okay?" she said quietly.

Buffy zipped up her bag and went to hug her sister. "I'm so proud of you," she smiled. "Thanks for understanding."

Her sister followed her as Buffy made her way downstairs. Xander and Anya were sitting together on the love seat while Giles and Willow were on the couch; Willow was sound asleep, exhausted from the night's events. She placed her bag by the door and walked towards her watcher.

"How is she doing?"

Giles glanced up at her. "She'll need some time to herself. I think taking her back to England with me is the best choice for her right now."

Buffy nodded. "Okay, you'll call if you need anything?"

"Buffy, why do you have to go? I mean, what if something happens here?" Anya asked.

"If you need me, I can get back here in two hours. I don't think anything is going to happen though, things should be quiet for awhile," she responded. Heading back towards the door, she passed Xander, who had moved from his chair. Thankfully, he didn't say anything negative or disapproving as she passed, though she knew he wasn't happy with her decision to head to L.A. "I just need to check things out and make sure things are okay."

As the front door shut behind her, Buffy absently placed a hand on her chest right above her heart, a pensive look on her face. She hoped she wasn't too late.

_I'm coming Angel, hold on. I'm coming!_

xxx

The large box was floating down, spiraling through the darkness of the ocean and dropping into a pitch black of nothingness. Within the box, Angel laid, bound tight by the chains and bars surrounding him. Shock, confusion and disbelief coursed though him and he willed himself to understand _why,_ why did Connor do this? What had caused him to do this?

Deep in his heart, Angel knew that Connor wasn't completely at fault. Lies and deception had caused Connor to resort to throwing him into the ocean. Despite knowing this, Angel couldn't help feeling anger at his son's actions. Not to mention, he really wished he'd killed Justine when he had the chance. It didn't seem fair that things never went the way he wanted.

He felt a large thump and knew he had landed at the bottom. Clouds of sand appeared as he looked through the window and as it settled, he could see schools of fish swimming around and all Angel could think was how thankful he was to not have the ability to breathe. He halfheartedly pulled at his chains but knew no matter how much he tried, he wouldn't be able to get free. No where to run and no way to escape. Justine and Connor had certainly made sure of that.

The silence was deafening and he had never felt more alone than he did at this moment. He had all the time in the world on his hands now. He could live a long time without blood and he was pretty sure that no one, save for Connor and Justine, even knew that he was down here.

Fred and Gunn would be worried, he knew. He could imagine Fred frantically trying to locate any information of his whereabouts while Gunn was nearby pacing nervously.

And Cordelia, what would Cordy think?

But then again, Cordelia had been late for their meeting at the cliff and he had to wonder whether or not she had changed her mind about what she had been going to reveal to him about her own feelings. On top of that, Angel wasn't even sure of his own feelings. Did he care for her? Certainly and without a doubt. Did he love her? In his own way, yes. But was he in love with her?

Angel knew the answer to that question without even having to think about it.

No. Definitely not.

But now was not the time to be thinking about feelings and love. He had to find a way out.

The cold of the ocean surrounded him and for once, he was glad that he was dead. He wondered if he could break free of his chains and then the bars across his chest. He had been weakened from his fight with Connor and he knew he needed blood to be at full strength, but that didn't stop him from another attempt at trying to escape.

He wasn't sure how long he had been down here. It must have been only hours, though it felt like days. He sighed, shifting as best he could against his restraints. What was he going to do? What was going to happen now?

Silence answered him.

The silence tore at him and for the first time, Angel began to pray. He prayed because this couldn't have been the end for him. He still had so much to do, so much to make up for. He wanted out and he hoped to God that someone, somewhere out there would know where he was and that he needed help.

It was the only hope that he had left and he clung desperately too it.

_Please, someone help me!_

xxx

Buffy was panicking. She had repeatedly tried calling the Hyperion Hotel and still no answer. She had tried calling everyone she could think of, including her friend Anne, whom she had met the one summer she had run away to L.A. She had stopped by the hotel the minute she had reached L.A. and began to worry even more when she found the place empty. She had no idea where Cordelia's apartment was but luckily she had been able to locate where Wesley lived with the help of telephone book. Thank goodness there was only one Wesley Wyndam-Pryce listed.

It was dark by the time she arrived. She parked her car outside the apartment building and ran up the three flights of stairs to where her former watcher lived. The blonde had no clue what she was going to say nor was she aware of her appearance. She hadn't showered after battle in the grave with the weird zombies from hell and for all she knew, she looked like death itself. All she knew was that Angel was in trouble and had rushed to Los Angeles the first chance she could. She pounded the door in front of her loudly, hoping with all her might that someone, _anyone_ from Angel's team would answer. She nearly cried with relief when the door opened and suddenly Wesley was standing in front of her, looking shocked and surprised to see her.

She barreled into his apartment without invitation. "Finally!" she cried, turning around to face him. "What's going on? Please tell me you know what's been happening? Where was everyone? Is everything okay?" She fired off the questions one by one, not giving Wes a chance to answer them. She was just so relieved to have found someone that she couldn't help but babble. "Tell me, please!"

"Buffy," Wes glanced at her as he shut the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Aren't you guys in trouble?" The panicked feeling was starting to come back again. Wes certainly wasn't acting how she thought he would. She had expected… well, she didn't know what she had expected. But certainly not this… Had she somehow deluded herself into thinking that there was trouble?

For the first time, Buffy took in Wesley's appearance and her eyes widened in shock. Gone was the wimpy, bumbling, naïve watcher she knew all those years ago. In his place, stood a man, hardened by all he had seen and fought. The slayer immediately saw the difference between the old and new Wesley. He stood taller now and no longer had the arrogance of a young watcher but the confidence of a warrior. The Wesley that stood before her now had an aura of darkness around him and a lost expression in his eyes that she was altogether too familiar with.

"On second thought," she sat down on his couch eyeing the long scar around his neck. She didn't give him a chance to refuse her. She hadn't come all this way for nothing, after all. She wanted answers and one way or another, she would get them. And she had a feeling her former watcher had at least some of the answers to her questions. "Why don't you tell me what's been going on around here and then I'll tell you what I know?"

xxx

Well, what do you guys think so far? Please review! This isn't going to be a long story, two or maybe three chapters at the most! Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 1

Thanks for all the feedback, guys! Keep them coming! (grins) Some of the scenes in this chapter were taken from the show and others were twisted around to my liking.

xxx

_**Three months later…**_

He was hallucinating again, this he knew. He couldn't help but crave for the dream again; at least there he was happy and content. And a beautiful dream it was, his friends, the people he called family, were all there with their smiles and laughter. Wesley, Gunn, Lorne, Cordy, Fred and Connor, all together and they were having fun and enjoying a nice dinner. It was a dream and he knew it was a dream because it was too simple and happy and everything in his unlife was anything but.

He wasn't sure how much longer he would survive deep down in the dark depths of the sea. It was hard enough to even keep track of time, how long had he been here… days… months… years? Angel could feel his stomach shrinking with every passing second and his veins collapsing with the lack of blood. He parted his lips and a stream of water flooded his mouth, but the liquid did not help any – just as he had known it wouldn't. He was still thirsty.

Starving…

--

He's on the roof top this time, with Connor standing next to him. A gang of vampires surrounded them and he's never been happier to have his son fighting with him by his side. They fight. Connor saves him from a surprise attack. They win and smile at each other. Then he snaps his son's neck.

Angel wakes from his nightmare screaming in horror.

--

He was dreaming again. But this time, he knew it wasn't a hallucination. It was a memory, a memory that he held close to his heart even to this very day. A kiss, a walk along the beach in sunlight, peanut butter and chocolate, double chocolate chip mint ice cream and a day that never was. Of all the memories that he had of Buffy, this one was by far the most precious to him. She had been so beautiful, her green eyes filled with happiness and her blonde hair glinting golden in the sunlight as he made love to her over and over again.

It is his most precious memory because even to this day there had been nothing, _nothing_ the came even remotely close to how she made him feel and how happy he had been. Connor's birth was a close second but that day, he was the happiest he had ever been in his long life. He fights to hold onto it, to hold onto all the details of that special day. Be damned if he ever let himself forget.

He wondered where she was and how she was doing. The last time he had seen her, she had just been resurrected and he could tell just by looking at her that she wasn't herself. He wondered if he should have tried to make more of an effort to keep an eye on her, but she had seem fine and he didn't dare press the issue, afraid that he would pack up everything and move back to Sunnydale for her.

He wished he had answers, but then he didn't even know what questions he had.

Sometimes he _swears_ he can feel her, can feel her concern and worry. But then he snaps out of his dreams and he sees the same sight he's always seen. The water, the feel of the cold and the fish swimming by dash his hopes and he knows it's his imagination playing tricks on him again. Buffy is probably at home in her bed, happy and full of laughter and surrounded by people who love her. He imagines himself there among Giles, Willow and Xander. He thinks this because he wants nothing more than to see her alive and happy and to be a part of what makes her happy. And the thought of her is comforting to him.

He imagines this because he knows it's all he can do. In reality, he can never make her happy or give her what she deserves.

He's resigned himself with the fact that no one knows where he is.

_I miss you Buffy…_

xxx

She rubbed her hands together, bringing them to her mouth and blowing on them. The temporary heat on her hands did little to comfort as she walked through the streets of Los Angeles patrolling. It was an unusually cold night and one, at the moment, that seemed rather endless. She had been in LA for three months now and she was still no closer to figuring out what had happened to Angel than when she had arrived.

She had managed to put some pieces together though and she had been beyond shocked when she had learned that her ex-lover had fathered a child – and with Darla, no less. She really didn't know which news had hurt her more, the fact that Angel had a son or the fact that he had a son with _Darla_, who had died years earlier and had somehow been brought back. Life sure had a funny way of surprising you.

Buffy sighed wistfully and shook her head. No use dwelling on the past, she thought. She was here to find Angel and that was that. Noises coming from an alley up ahead caught her attention and she quietly ran towards it. Taking a peak around the corner, she saw a skinny brunette woman being pinned by two vampires, a taller African-American man surrounded by at least four other vampires and a younger teenaged boy standing off to the side with a weapon in his hands. Her eyes widened and she felt her breath hitch.

_Angel's team…_

In the entire three months, she had not once encountered any member of Angel's Investigations save for Wesley. Her former watcher had in formed her of all the things he had done, why he had that hideous scar around his neck, how a baby that had been born months earlier had suddenly matured into a teenager, his feelings for Fred, everything that had happened over the past year. Buffy had listened to Wesley's confession without judgment and surprisingly, the two had become… well, she wouldn't say they were the best of friends, but he was someone she now had great admiration and respect for. She knew that she couldn't have gotten through the past three months without his help and not to mention, he was letting her stay at his apartment, rent free. It wasn't as if she had money to stay at a nearby hotel.

It was mostly for Wesley that she hadn't tried to contact Fred or Gunn. Angel's team was still angry with the former Watcher's actions and while she couldn't blame them, she also thought it was a little unfair. Wesley had thought he was doing the right thing at the time and had acted accordingly. In her opinion, only Angel really had the right to be angry with him but that was neither here nor there. So she kept an eye on things. Working with Wesley to locate Angel's whereabouts and making sure that Angel's friends stayed out of trouble.

But right now, it looked like trouble had found them. They were out numbered and Buffy couldn't stand there any longer just watching. She ran towards the group and grabbed both vampires that were holding onto Fred. She threw one of them backwards into a wall and with her free hand; she quickly grabbed a stake from the pocket of her jeans and rammed it into the heart of the vampire she was still holding onto.

Not stopping to take note of the surprised look on Fred's face, she quickly turned and ran towards where Gunn was trying to break free from the gang of six vampires that surrounded him. She flipped over them and landed directly behind the vamp that currently had Gunn by the neck. "I don't think so," she quipped as she grabbed it, freeing Gunn in the process. She rammed the stake into the vampire's chest and then attacked the ones closest too her. She grabbed Gunn by the arm and shoved him in the direction where Fred stood and then came face to face with Connor as Angel's son suddenly appeared by her side, his face filled with curiosity.

Buffy was surprised by his appearance but didn't show it as she moved past him towards the remaining vampires. There were only four left and within minutes dust was swirling around her and they were alone in the alley. The other three were staring at her in disbelief as she dusted herself off and turned to face them. She bit her lip, unsure of how they would react to her presence.

It was Fred who spoke first. The skinny brunette woman took a step towards her; gratitude was evident on her face. "That was amazing!" she said incredulously. "I've never seen anyone dust vampires so fast before… the only other person I know that can do that was…" her voice trailed off and Buffy was sure that she had been thinking of Angel.

She opted for nonchalance. Angel's team members obviously had no clue who she was and she wasn't sure if she wanted them to find out her identity just yet. It was probably better this way – at least until she found Angel. She looked at the people in front of her. "Are you guys okay?" she asked.

"We're fine," Gunn answered. "Thanks for your help. If you hadn't come when you did…" the sentence hung in the air and an awkward silence ensued.

Buffy shrugged. "No biggie." She placed her stake back into the pocket of her jeans.

Connor took a step towards her, his gaze never leaving her face. "Who are you? And how do you know about vampires?"

How to answer this question? A small smile came to her lips as she thought of the perfect response… talk about a trip down memory lane. She shook her head, purposely avoiding the second question. "Let's just say I'm a friend."

"Maybe we don't want a friend," Connor's eyes were full of mistrust and she couldn't help but think of her own response all those years ago in that alley when she had been sixteen and encountered Angel for the very first time. She shook her head at the memory; Connor had almost said her exact response too. She studied Angel's son carefully and noticed the way he held himself. Connor was a proud warrior and defensive to the boot. Not to mention the brooding gene that was immediately recognizable. She inwardly sighed. He was Angel's son alright.

She knew it was her cue to leave. She slowly turned, disappearing into the shadows and leaving the three of them alone in the alley. "I didn't say I was yours…"

She made her way back to Wesley's apartment, making sure that she hadn't been followed. She climbed the three flights of stairs and entered with the key that he had given her the first month she had arrived. Wesley was sitting on the couch, diagrams in front of him as he marked off a section. He glanced at her as she entered and without a word, went into his kitchen and began preparing her a cup of hot chocolate. It was funny how after just three months of living together, he knew what she preferred to drink. Wesley was definitely observant, she'd give him that.

"How did it go?"

"Oh, you know the same old song and dance. A vampire here, a vampire there and then I show up and its dust," she took the offered cup and reveled in its warmth and nodded her thanks. "I saw your friends," she said as she took a sip. "I kinda saved their necks tonight."

Wesley stilled and then continued on as if nothing had happened. "Are they alright?"

"Oh yeah," she nodded. "Just peachy. I think Fred was a little shaken up and Gunn was almost vamp food, but they're okay."

"I'm glad," the former watcher nodded, no emotion in his voice but she knew better. She decided not to say anything though; it wasn't any of her business.

"So," Buffy took another sip of her hot chocolate. She motioned towards the diagrams on the table. "What's the what?"

He sat back down and pointed to three large sections on what appeared to be a map. "We've got these three areas covered and I think it's safe to say that there's nothing there." Wes then pointed to the rest of the map. "The problem is, there are still quite a lot of areas left to cover, assuming that he's down there."

She finished her drink and set the mug onto the table. "What are we waiting for? Let's get too it." She grabbed the small black bag that was filled with jars of blood, hoping against hope that tonight just might be the night that they would find Angel and he would have the chance to drink them.

Over the past few months, Buffy had come to rely on the connection that she had with Angel to locate him. She knew that they really had no real leads on Angel's whereabouts and all they had was the feelings she would get through their link. Their connection wasn't as strong as it had been like in the early stages of their relationship, but Buffy still felt him and on occasion, knew with certainty what he was feeling.

He was lonely and cold and was desperate to feel the warmth of family and love again. Buffy's heart ached for him, for she knew exactly what he was feeling. He was hungry and almost insane from the lack of nourishment that blood usually provided for him. He was in pain and she knew that he was losing hope with every passing minute. She doesn't know if he can feel her, if he can understand the feelings she is trying to push through their link.

By now, she and Wesley had arrived at the docks and were preparing their boat to set sail. One night, Buffy had dreamt that she was with Angel and they were in a cold and dark place. She swears that she sees a box and knows right away that it's made of metal. She remembers floating and seeing fish and waves crashing into the beach. She had woken up and immediately knew that Angel was somewhere trapped at the bottom of the ocean. If there had been anything she'd learned in all her years as a slayer, it was not to take her dreams lightly. And her dream of Angel had been a sign, that she was sure of. Not to mention, she was glad that Wesley had taken her at face value and hadn't called her crazy.

The boat floated along the ocean, humming as it moved through the murky waters. Buffy pulled her jacket closer to her and wrapped her arms around her waist. It was colder out here on the ocean and she shivered. She and Wesley were standing inside the cabin and she's anxiously watching the computerized machine in front of her. She doesn't care about the cold, she only wants to find Angel. The machine beeps and nothing comes up but she doesn't let it dash her hopes. She knows that Angel is somewhere around. He was definitely close by.

She can _feel_ it.

Hours pass and before she knew it, it's nearing three in the morning. The coffee they had brought with them is cold by now and she finds that she's too wound up to even sleep. Its not like she can sleep anyway and she can't even remember the last time she's had a decent night's sleep.

Another hour passes and she decides to use the time to check her email on Wesley's laptop, seeing if there was any news from Sunnydale. It had been a relatively quiet summer, after Willow's attempted End-of-the-World domination. Dawn had found a part time job at the local bookstore and was doing fine. Xander and Anya had moved into the Summers' house for the time being and were doing a little slaying here and there. She felt bad that she wasn't there but knew that her friends had everything under control.

"Buffy!" Wes' voice called her name and she snapped away from her thoughts. She stood up and walked over to where he was standing as he turned off the engine, causing the boat to stop and float where it was. The former watcher pointed to the screen where she could clearly see an object lying in the sand. "Solid contact," he told her. "Definitely metallic."

As soon as she saw the highlight blue object on the screen, she knew right away that she had found him. Hope filled her and she immediately reached for her wet suit and goggles that hung near by. "I'll head down and have a look then."

Nervousness filled her as she swam slowly down into the deep ocean. _Please don't let me run into a shark…_ the last thing she needed was to be fish food. It was cold down here but Buffy barely noticed it, too busy searching for the large metallic box that had been seen on the monitor above. The chains that she had brought down with her weighed heavily, helping her to sink to the bottom. She shone the underwater flashlight in front of her and after several minutes of swimming around, she finally spotted what she had been looking for.

A familiar tingling ran down her spine and Buffy inwardly let out a cry of relief. It was Angel and he was in that box! She swam towards the box, scaring away the school of fish that were hanging around and looked through the tiny window of the container. The sight she saw made her want to cry and she willed herself to remain calm and focus on the task at hand.

It was Angel, but not Angel at the same time. His skin was pale and waxy and looking more dead than she had ever seen it. There were bruises and cuts along his face, things that should've healed instantly but couldn't, not without blood. Seeing Angel like this scared her more than she would ever admit and this included the time he had been recovering from his trip to hell or the torture Spike and Drusilla had inflicted on him in that church. Angel was always so strong and stubborn that seeing him this lifeless and still tore her up inside.

As quickly as she could, she placed the chains around the box, making sure it was secure so that when they lifted Angel out of the ocean, there wasn't a chance that the box would slip and fall back in. She then slowly swam up, aware that if she went any faster, the underwater pressure could easily kill her and she definitely didn't want that.

A half hour later, Buffy stood by on the deck and watched anxiously as the crane holding onto Angel's prison was slowly lifted out of the water. Her worries weren't over yet and she could only pray that they weren't too late.

xxx


	3. Chapter 2

Special thanks to _Taaroko_ for all her awesome reviews and insights – it's certainly given a lot to think about! (grins)

xxx

Angel felt his box drift, first forward and then backward. His first thought had him wondering if it was wishful thinking that his box was moving. He had dreamt this many, many times – hope that his box was moving because someone had finally found him and was rescuing from the hellish situation that he was in. But then he would always wake up to find that it wasn't the case, that he was still stuck at the bottom of the ocean with fish and the occasional shark and octopus for company.

Almost suddenly, there was a bright light shinning in at him and Angel instinctively shut his eyes against the harsh beam. A minute passed and he slowly tried to open his eyes, only to see a figure in a dark, black suit in front of him. He felt his heart drop. Someone was there! He tried to move, tried to speak but found it impossible. The tingling felt down his spine alerted him to who it was, but as he twisted trying to get free, the figure disappeared.

He blinked and all he could see was water.

He felt tears come to his eyes. _Another_ hallucination. But this one had felt so real! That feeling… But he should've known better. His imagination was getting too good for his tastes. Angel was so busy wallowing in his misery that he didn't hear the noises of what sounded like chains outside and he missed seeing the figure float by once more.

He felt the box move again and he pitched forward, his head banging against the tiny window and he let out a gasp of pain. He felt himself move from side to side as the box shifted along the ocean floor, sand clouds all around him. Angel felt his stomach shift and knew he would've vomited had his stomach not been so empty. He blinked again, wondering if this was another trick his mind was playing on him. It wasn't so dark anymore and he could swear that there was some noise in the distance.

His head banged against the window once more and then he blacked out.

--

"_Angel?" _

There was a voice in the distance.

"_Angel?" _

The voice was more frantic now.

"_Angel!" _

He knows that voice, he's sure of it. His dreams used to be filled with the angelic sound, years and years ago. The musical sound of bells and laughter haunting his mind and he wonders once more if he was dreaming because hadn't he learned this lesson time and time again? He is afraid to open his eyes. Afraid for the voice to go away because he doesn't want it too. There is no way she would be near by; there is no reason for her to be but he's willing to succumb to the dreams if it means seeing her again.

The chains that had bounded him tight were suddenly loose and he thinks he can smell fresh salty air. He can feel himself being lifted and then cradled lovingly against someone's chest. He knows better than to hope for _her_, but can't help responding to the soft touch that was so familiar – wishful thinking, perhaps. He feels his lips being parted and something cold pressed against it. Liquid is forced down his throat and he knows instantly that its blood. He gulps greedily and chokes in his haste to drink it all.

It was moments before he hears her speak again and he smiles. This was a pleasant dream compared to some of the ones he's had so far.

"_Is there anymore blood?" _

"_None. He just drank the last jar." _

There is a new voice, a man's voice and he frowns. He doesn't want this dream to turn into another nightmare and he knows that seeing her with another man is enough to tear his heart into two. Had she found someone else? Did she love him? He wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer.

"_Angel? Honey, can you hear me? Angel, please wake up." _

There was someone rubbing his arm and he felt fingers combing through his hair. He leaned in, wanting more contact and wanting more than anything to answer her, to comfort her. He tried to open his mouth.

"_Buffy, we need to get to shore. The sun is going to rise soon and we need to get him more blood." _

"_Okay, go start the boat and hand me that knife." _

"_Buffy, are you sure? It could very well kill you. I can't imagine he can control himself in the state he's in."  
_

"_Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I trust him, Wes. And besides, my blood is powerful. It should be enough to tide him over until we can get him more blood."_

"_Alright, I trust that you know best." _

He smelled blood and didn't hesitate to suck when the warmth of someone's skin was placed at his mouth. His instincts kicked in and he grabbed at the wrist and brought it closer. The salty, coppery taste was delicious and he knew instantly whose blood it was that he was drinking. He can tell the difference between demon and human blood. Human and Slayer blood. It tasted as exquisite as he remembered and he could feel his limbs and injuries beginning to heal twice as fast.

Memories began filtering through his mind of the last time he had tasted the slayer's blood and with great effort he wrenched the wrist away from his mouth, not wanting to drain her life force anymore than he already had. He groaned and gasped and forced his eyes to open. His eyes focused and the sight before him made him want to cry with relief and joy. _She was here_. She was really here!

Her eyes were warm and trusting and she cuddled him close to her chest. "It's going to be okay," she whispered as she pressed her still bleeding wrist to his mouth again. Automatically, his mouth opened once more, letting her blood drip through. Her blood flowed through him, powerful and addicting, awakening his body and bringing him back to life. He suckled for a few more minutes before she gently removed her wrist from his mouth and wrapping it with a cloth that looked suspiciously ripped apart. She pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, wrapping her arms around him and for the first time, he noticed a blanket covering them. "You're going to be okay," she whispered into his ear, her words making him feel warmer than any blanket ever could.

"Buffy…" Her name was the first word he spoke. It was comforting, saying her name and he loved the way it rolled off his tongue with familiarity. And she looked absolutely beautiful, her green eyes shinning looking down on him with love, her hair falling across her face like a curtain. There was a bright smile, one that he loved and wished to see on her face for all time. It had been so long since anyone had looked at him like that… had been so long since _she _had looked at him like that… he felt safe, wanted and _loved._

"I'm here, Angel," tears sprang to her eyes as Angel looked up at her, unaware that he was feeling exactly the same way she was. It had been so long since Angel had looked at her the way he was looking at her now. She hadn't realized just how much she had missed it, how much she needed it and she felt it down to the very depths of her soul. At that moment, Buffy knew with certainty that Angel still loved her as much as he ever had. She pressed another kiss to his forehead.

"Rest now… you're safe. I promise, I'll protect you."

He shook his head, a million questions racing through his mind. "How…?" he croaked, unable to get out the rest of his sentence.

Another smile on her face, her eyes kind. She ran her fingers through his hair and stroked his forehead lovingly. He felt his eyes grow heavier and he was suddenly exhausted. "I feel you inside, Angel," the answer came and his eyes began to close, her voice soothing him to sleep. "I will always be here when you really need me."

He slips into the most peaceful sleep he's had in a long while.

xxx

Fred would always remember it as the summer of questions. Where were Angel and Cordelia? Were they hurt? What happened to them? How much longer would she and Charles have before they succumbed to the same fate? What were they going to do? Why did Wesley betray them? How was Connor feeling? Would things ever be okay again? Questions, questions, questions and no answers. It was _so_ frustrating.

Months of worrying, anxiety at every turn and doubt when it should have been filled with sunshine (or rather night time) activities, fun and fighting the bad guys. Instead, she and Charles had spent the entire summer trying to keep Angel Investigations running as best they could, while trying to keep an eye on Connor and on top of all that, trying to locate Angel and Cordy's whereabouts – that was the biggest stress of all. It was a lot for only two people.

Contacting Lorne had been a pain and had been no help at all. The friendly demon was being all cryptic and it seemed that he wouldn't leave Las Vegas for any reason, not even to help a friend in need. Something about Fluffy… or whatever. That thought alone was enough to her in a bad mood tonight. Worrying after Connor had also taken its toll. Growing up, Fred had always thought of herself as maternal person. Wasn't it a woman's right to take care of children, love them and give them a sense of security? Granted, Fred had never really taken care of a child before but she never thought that she wouldn't be good at it. She hated how sometimes Connor would disappear without a word and she was left worrying frantically until he returned. And when he returned, it was just as hard trying to get him to understand that running out into the dark of the night was dangerous, even if he could take care of himself and hold his own. As much as she told herself to be patient with Angel's son, it was beginning to wear thin. Charles' patience with the boy was already gone, these days he could barely keep his anger in check and it was all she could do to hold the three of them together.

And tonight. Oh, she could rant about _tonight_ for a good long while. For once they had a lead, but of course, seeing as how much had bad luck they'd had this summer, the one vampire that could've possibly led them to Angel's location had turned to dust. And on top of that, they had almost died tonight. Would've been vampire food if it hadn't been for that mysterious blonde woman…

Fred didn't want to think about what might've happened if it hadn't been for her.

And it also ironic that the moment Fred had started thinking about their mysterious savior, she happened to be strolling through the Hyperion Hotel doors with Wesley, carrying an extremely battered Angel between them. She stood there in shock for several moments, staring at them, before letting out a gasp and rushing towards them. She reached them just as Wesley and the blonde woman were laying Angel down on the couch.

"Angel!" Fred leaned down in front of her friend and laid a hand on his arm. Even through the blanket, Angel felt ice cold. "My god… look at him!"

Moments later, she felt Charles at her side. Gunn had a troubled look on his face as Angel groaned in front of them, looking dazed. "He's out of it. What now?"

Fred looked up at everyone around her, meeting Charles' eyes. "What do we do?" She turned, only to see Wes heading towards the front doors. "Wesley…" she trailed off as the former watcher turned around to look at them. "Where are you going?"

He stared at them, his gaze piercing right through her. It was several moments before he spoke. "I'm done here."

Anger washed over her and she stood up, realizing that Wes had known what was going on all along. The fact that he hadn't alerted them hurt more than she had expected it too. "What took you so long to tell us what was going on? All those months worrying… how could you not tell us that you knew something?" She held Wesley's gaze as her voice grew softer. "You really don't care anymore, do you?"

Their staring contest went on for a few more minutes. It was Wesley who looked away first. He turned back around, his intention of leaving clear for everyone to see.

"Wes!" The blonde woman spoke sharply from where she sat next to Angel. "Please Wes, stay." Wesley shook his head at her before pushing the doors open and leaving them alone. Silence fell over the room.

"He needs more blood," the woman spoke first. Her gaze was focused on Angel but Fred suspected that she knew everything that seemed to be going on. Just what was going on anyway? The woman looked up at her and for the first time, she realized the state the blonde was in. Her hair was limp and damp and she was wearing a wetsuit as if she had just gone swimming in the ocean. There was a blood stained cloth tied tightly around her wrist and it suddenly dawned on Fred that this woman had fed Angel some of her blood. "And you're wrong, you know," the blonde added. "Wes cares a lot. Otherwise, he wouldn't have spent the last three months helping me."

Before she could respond, there was a crash and Fred turned to her right, only to see Connor rushing down the stairs towards them with a stake in his hands. His eyes were blazing with hatred and anger and she knew with sudden certainty that Connor had been behind Angel's disappearance. Exchanging a brief glance with Charles, she knew that he had just come to the same conclusion as she did. They both stood up, ready to interfere as Connor came at them.

But before they could do anything, the blonde woman was in front of them and was blocking Connor's attempt to stake their vampire friend. She and Gunn could only stare as they watched the fight unfold right before their very eyes. Connor was an amazing fighter and strong, but it was clear that he was no match for the woman. They punched and kicked at one another and within minutes, she had Connor pinned face-down on the floor with his arms behind his back. Connor struggled before giving up.

"Are you going to behave?" The woman's voice was like steel. "Cause I'd hate to have you all tied up."

"What are you?" Connor spat. He tried to look up at her from his position on the floor. "Are you human?"

"Why, yes I am." A humorless laugh escaped her and for a second, she looked amused. Then her gaze turned serious once more. "I'm the slayer."

Both Fred and Gunn looked startled at her confession. The vampire slayer was the last person they had ever expected to see their mist but still, they were grateful.

"What's a slayer?" There was still anger in the young boy's voice as he renewed his efforts to get free.

"Chosen one? She who hangs out a lot at cemeteries…? 'In every genera--'" The blonde woman shook her head and continued to hold him down. "You know, I really don't feel like doing the routine. Ask around. Look it up under, 'Slayer comma The.' You'll find a picture of me."

"Why would you protect that thing?" Connor struggled some more and finally the slayer relinquished her hold on him. He stood up, anger still evident on his face. "How can you protect him when you know he's a monster?"

She shook her and looked at him with an expression that was almost close to pity. "You just don't know…" she turned away and walked back towards Angel. By now, the vampire was struggling to sit up; pain was evident on his features. "Angel," the slayer said softly, bending down to sit next to him, all thoughts of Connor forgotten. She glanced back at the still standing Gunn and Fred. "Can someone please get him some blood?"

Gunn snapped back to reality. There would be time for answers later. "I'm on it," he said as he rushed towards the kitchen. He returned a minute later with a few bags of blood and without another word, handed one to Buffy, who immediately opened it and began to offer it to Angel. He observed the scene in front of him, noticing the delicate way she cared for his boss, stroking his forehead lovingly and with a soft smile on her face. It was as if none them existed and there was only Angel as far as she was concerned.

He took a small step towards them and cleared his throat. The slayer looked up at them, curiosity shining in her eyes. He smiled at her. "I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Gunn," he motioned to the woman standing next to him. "And this is Fred."

The blonde's smile widened. "I know who you guys are," she told them before pausing. "I'm Buffy." She turned back to Angel as he finished feeding and she placed the now empty bag on the floor. "How are you feeling?"

Angel blinked and smiled the half-crooked smile that had always managed to melt her heart. "Better," he responded.

"I'm glad," if possible, Buffy's smile became even wider. "Do you want some more blood? There's plenty."

The vampire shook his head.

"Alright, let's get you out of those wet clothes and put you to bed," Buffy glanced over at Gunn. "Can you help me get him to his room?"

"Sure thing," Gunn moved forward and Buffy then glanced at Fred.

"Do you think you can get him some dry clothes? I have no idea where anything is."

"Of course!" Fred turned and ran up the stairs, glad to have something to do.

Busy with helping Angel, no one noticed the swinging front doors as Connor left the Hyperion Hotel.

xxx

Please review! It totally motivates me! As always, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.


	4. Chapter 3

Note: I'm not very good at describing fight scenes, so when you guys read what I wrote, just imagine Buffy kicking ass as usual, okay?

Thanks for all the reviews everyone! Keep them coming, its what motivates me to write – well, that and the fact that I have a large desire to see Angel and Buffy together again.

xxx

Fred studied the woman tending to Angel out of the corner of her eye as she poured two cups of tea and placed them on a tray. For a moment, she felt sadness wash over her as the tea reminded her of a certain former friend… how had things changed so drastically in months? She didn't think she would ever understand the circumstances, no matter how much she went over the situation. She shook off the thoughts and moved towards the table that Angel had placed in his room months earlier when Connor had been born. She placed the tray down and then sat, watching as Buffy pulled up the covers and tucked them around Angel with care.

She sat there and watched in awe as Buffy sat on the bed and ran her fingers through Angel's hair. Angel, in turn, smiled up at the slayer and even Fred could see that the vampire trusted Buffy with everything in him. It was a rare sight, to see Angel looking so content. She could count the handful of times she had ever seen her boss smile and it was clear that the smile he had for the slayer was one all of its own. In all the time that she had known him, Angel had never been quite so open with his feelings, never had let his guard down and the only time that came close, was the time he had spent with Connor as a baby. Anger, frustration, his brooding – these were all things that were familiar to Fred. But he had never acted like this. _Ever_. It was almost like watching a romantic scene from a movie.

It was interesting to watch how they interacted; the scientist in her just couldn't help observing them. It was exactly like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, minus everyone dying – though in this case, Angel was technically already dead. Star-crossed lovers that defied impossible odds, unable to be together and yet still loved one another with every fiber of their being. She had never witnessed their love first hand, but she clearly remembered the time when Wes and Cordelia had acted out their story.

At the time, it had been told in mockery and she and Charles had laughed, but now she felt a stab of anger on both Angel and Buffy's behalf and guilt at her own giggles. She remembered clearly how devastated he was when Angel had heard news of Buffy's death and how quickly he had rushed out of the hotel when he heard that she had been brought back. And the look on his face when he walked in on Wes and Cordy's antics… it was no wonder he hadn't wanted to talk about their meeting… and later on when Angel wanted ice cream… well, vampires really couldn't taste anything other than blood so Fred had to wonder if the cookie dough fudge mint chip ice cream cone he had ordered meant something in their relationship.

They were talking quietly now, or rather Buffy was whispering something to Angel and Fred wished she could hear what it was, but knew it was extremely private and intimate. Her heart melted as she saw Buffy press a kiss to Angel's forehead and at Angel's bright smile in return. Seeing the scene in front of her brought out Fred's romantic side and she decided to give them a few minutes alone. The brunette walked out, closing the door to Angel's room quietly so she wouldn't disturb the conversation inside. She walked down the stairs that led to the lobby slowly; her thoughts still on the way Angel and Buffy interacted.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

She looked up, startled, but let out a sigh of relief when she saw Charles staring at her with curiosity. She smiled and walked toward him, feeling instantly comforted when he wrapped his arms around her. It had been a long night and looking outside at the windows, told her that it was almost daylight soon. She was exhausted but couldn't sleep yet. At least, not until she got some answers. Looking up at Charles, she knew he felt the same way.

Gunn was still looking at her and she suddenly realized that she hadn't yet answered his question. She shook her head and gave him another smile. "Oh, I was just thinking about Buffy and Angel," she told him. "You should've seen them up there, Charles. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. Makes my heart ache that they can't be together."

"Yeah," Gunn sighed. "They sure are something alright." They stood there for another few minutes before he spoke once more. "Connor took off again."

Fred stiffened. "Do you think he really had something to do with Angel's disappearance?"

"The way he came at Angel with that stake?" Gunn shook his head. "No doubt about it. I'm sure he had someone helping him too. Probably that Justine chick."

She pulled away from his embrace. "What are we going to do about him?"

Gunn could only shrug.

Fred sighed and glanced back up the stairs. "Guess we should go and find Buffy, huh?"

Before Gunn could answer, the doors to the hotel opened again and Wesley stepped through, surprising the both of them. Neither one had thought the former Watcher would come back so soon, if at all. Wesley walked towards them carrying a small bag in his hands.

"What are you doing here?" Fred blurted out before she could stop herself. She hadn't meant to be so blunt, but after the night's events she just couldn't bring herself to care about being tactful anymore.

Wesley showed no reaction as he walked toward them and he placed the bag he held into her hands. "This is for Buffy," he said, his voice devoid of any emotion. "I thought that I would bring this to her seeing that it's more than likely that she would want to stay with Angel at the moment. Please let her know that she is still welcome to stay at my apartment should she want too."

As Wesley turned to leave, Buffy's words suddenly came back to Fred. _You're wrong, you know. Wes cares a lot, otherwise he wouldn't have spent the last three months helping me. _She watched his retreating back with a sad expression on her face. Would things ever be the same again? She knew the answer instantly without even thinking about it. No, nothing would ever be the same again. The door closed behind him with a soft _click_ and she took the opportunity to peek inside the bag, curious as to what it contained.

Feminine clothing stared back up at her and she realized suddenly how thoughtful it was of Wesley to bring Buffy a change of clothes. Neither she nor Gunn had even realized that Buffy was still wearing her wetsuit. Shame filled her and she had to blink back the tears, this was the sort of thing that Wesley would have never forgotten about.

She let out a tired sigh and started back up the stairs towards Angel's room, Charles trailing behind her. As they neared the room, she quietly pushed open the door and poked her head around cautiously, not wanting to interrupt anything. Again, the sight made her heart melt.

Buffy was still sitting at the edge of Angel's bed, watching as the vampire slept. Fred couldn't see Buffy's expression as the slayer's back was facing her, but Buffy's whole demeanor indicated that she was content to just sit there and watch Angel sleep. And the look on Angel's face as he slept was one she had never seen before. Nothing could describe the peaceful expression, one that was content and worry free. In that moment, Fred was struck by how handsome Angel really was when there was nothing burdening him.

Suddenly, as if she had sensed them, Buffy turned around and smiled when she spotted him. She eased herself slowly off the bed and walked towards them as she and Charles entered the room and quietly shut the door behind them. Without a word, she gave Buffy the bag that Wesley had brought and quietly pointed out where the bathroom was, indicating that Buffy could change clothes in there.

Minutes later, Buffy emerged from the bathroom donning sweats and a simple t-shirt, her hair pulled back into a ponytail and the three of them sat down at Angel's table and were sipping the now lukewarm tea. There was an awkward silence as each person figured out what to say first.

Finally, Buffy sighed and set down her tea cup, looking at the people sitting across from her. "I guess I should start by telling you how I knew Angel was in trouble, huh?"

Both Gunn and Fred nodded and leaned forward, curiosity shining on their faces. Buffy took a deep breath, contemplating what to say. "I don't know how much you guys know about our relationship but pretty much the word to describe it was intense."

The slayer shook her head, lost in the memories, her eyes glazing over as she relived all the wonderful and tragic moments in her mind. "What can I really say? From the moment I laid eyes on him, I was hooked. He was so handsome and mysterious, you know? And it seemed like he wanted to help me."

Fred nodded, remembering her own rescue from Pylea and how Angel had saved her. Boy, did she know what that felt like.

"And when he first kissed me, I can't even begin to describe how that felt," Buffy smiled, turning slightly to glance affectionately at the sleeping vampire across the room. She turned back to face them. "It hadn't been my first kiss by any means but it might as well have been. He ruined me for anyone else."

"As time went on and our relationship grew more intense, so did our connection. It got to the point where I could feel whenever he was nearby. And I don't mean the tingle I get when a vamp is near either," Buffy said as she placed a hand on her chest. "I mean I literally feel him inside deep down, his soul – it calls out to me every time."

Fred couldn't help but let out a tiny sigh, lost in the slayer's story. It was just so romantic… Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Charles grinning at her reaction.

"On the day that Angel disappeared, I was in Sunnydale and was fighting these creepy zombie things," Buffy paused, seeing that Gunn wanted to know exactly what she had been fighting and shook her head. "Don't ask, I've kind of repressed the memories of that particular fight. Anyway, one of the zombies knocked me back into a wall and I felt this pain go through me."

"At first I thought one of the zombies had managed to attack me when I fell, but when I opened my eyes, I saw that they were still a few feet away and no where near me. That's when I knew Angel was in trouble. As soon as the Sunnydale crisis was averted, I made my way to L.A." She took another sip of her tea; her throat was beginning to get tired from all the talking. The warm liquid helped soothed her throat immensely. "I was pretty worried when I got here. I had called the hotel dozens of times on my way up and it was empty when I arrived. I couldn't get a hold of Cordelia and showing up at Wesley's place had been my last resort. Thank goodness he had been home that night – if he hadn't been, I don't know what I would've done."

"What I don't get," Gunn spoke for the first time since they had sat down to have this conversation. The man in front of her was frowning. "Is the fact that you've been in L.A. for the last three months looking for Angel. Why didn't you contact us? I mean, you had to have known that we needed your help. We were in way over our heads."

Buffy shrugged, a sheepish expression appeared on her face. "Sorry. I really wanted too, but couldn't because of Wesley. Don't worry though; I kept an eye on you guys. Believe me, if you really were in trouble I would've been there."

"You mean, Wes told you to stay away from us?" Gunn's demeanor had changed and he started to rise from his chair, his voice rising with the beginnings of anger.

"No!" Buffy hissed, quickly turning to see if Angel had woken up from the noise they were making. She relaxed when she saw him still sleeping. "Sorry," her voice was softer. "I should've made myself clear… how do I put this without offending you…" she trailed off and then looked at Gunn straight in the eye, a defiant expression on her face. "The fact is, you guys didn't know who I was – we hadn't ever met. Wesley was someone that I was familiar with, even though he and I had ended on the wrong foot the last time I saw him."

"He let me stay at his apartment for three months, rent-free by the way, even though he had no income of his own. He didn't look at me like I was crazy when I told him that Angel was in trouble, instead, he asked me how he could be of help," the slayer held Gunn's gaze, ready to defend her friend with everything she had. "And on top of that, I saw that he was lonely and needed company because other than you guys, he had no friends or any support group around him."

Buffy's gaze then moved onto Fred and it was all the skinny brunette could do to not shiver under her stare. "Wesley knows he's made a mistake and believe me, no one realizes it better than he does. He kicks himself for it everyday. All summer long, I've watched him throw himself into trying to locate Angel and even though I was around, I knew he missed you guys even if he wouldn't admit it. Did any of you ever stop to think about why he couldn't trust you with those prophecies? Why he felt he had to do it all on his own? I stuck by Wesley because I didn't want him to think that he didn't have anyone left to turn too. Believe me, I know what it's like to realize that when you're truly alone, there's a darkness that spreads within you and it traps you until you feel like you can't do anything other than something destructive just to _feel_ something. And Wes was feeling numb inside – he never said anything, but he didn't have too. I recognized the look on his face. I'm glad I got to Wesley when I did, because if he had been left alone any longer, that darkness would've consumed him and who knows what stupid thing he would've done."

"You sound like you speak from experience," Fred responded softly.

Buffy snorted, thinking of her own destructive path and all the nights she had spent with Spike. "You have no idea."

Silence fell over the room and Buffy shook her head once more. "Anyway, back to the story. Over the next three months I kept having flashes at night, dreams if you will, about water, coldness and a metal box. And once in awhile, I could feel what he was feeling through our link."

"I don't understand how you could feel him though," Gunn replied. "I mean, I get that you guys have a connection or whatever but dreams? It sounds sketchy to me."

Buffy suddenly grinned. "Wesley thinks it was because of this." The blonde tilted her head to the left so that her companions could clearly see the large scar that covered the right side of her neck.

"Jesus," Gunn looked incredulous. "Angel bit you?"

"Yeah, he had been poisoned. It's a long, long story," Buffy winked, trying to make things a bit more light hearted after the conversation they'd just had. "Don't worry, I'm still the slayer, not turned or anything."

Gunn rolled his eyes. "Well, that's a relief." He stood up and stretched. "Alright, I'm gonna hit the sack. It's been a long couple of hours."

Buffy nodded, feeling very tired herself. "Sure. We can continue this conversation later on." She paused, suddenly feeling quite unsure of herself. "Um… where should I sleep?"

Fred giggled, standing up as well. She hadn't felt this light in ages. "I think it's obvious you're going to stay in here with Angel," she said with certainty. "After all, who else is going to protect him?"

"Do you think he'd mind?"

"Girl, you saved his life and you're asking if you think he'd mind you sleeping next to him?" Gunn sighed. "Dumb question. This is too much drama for me, I'm out."

"Have a good rest, Buffy," Fred called as she followed her boyfriend out. "We'll see you later."

The door shut behind them quietly and Buffy was left alone with Angel once again. The slayer turned and walked towards the bed, where her ex-lover laid, still peacefully asleep. She stared at him for a moment before shrugging her shoulders and crawled onto the bed, pulling back the covers and settling down next to Angel. As if he knew she was there next to him, Angel automatically shifted and pulled her against him, letting out a sigh as he did so. Holding her breath, Buffy waited to see if Angel had woken up but the vampire continued on sleeping, oblivious to the world around him. Slowly, she relaxed and took a deep breath, inhaling his familiar scent. It was amazing how he still smelled like chocolate and fresh leaves and other things that was uniquely Angel. Not to mention, being in his arms felt like home. It _was_ home.

That was the last thought on her mind before she drifted off to sleep.

xxx

Night had fallen and Buffy walked along the streets anxious to get her patrolling started. She had slept most of the day away and had woken up feeling refreshed and itching for a fight. The cold air brought her senses alive and unlike the night before, she relished being outside tonight. It was amazing what could happen in a few hours, she mused as she continued to walk. Angel had gone from 'missing' to 'found' and Buffy could not be more relieved that he was safe and sound.

Of course, now that Angel had been found, it was most likely that she would be heading home soon.

She sighed wistfully. She had only found Angel last night and they had yet to have a conversation, but already she was used to his presence back in her life. That probably meant an emotional disaster was coming, as it always did where Angel was concerned. Wonderful.

Her cell phone rang at that moment, interrupting what might've been the start of some serious thinking as far as she could tell. Relieved for the distraction from her thoughts, she reached into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out her phone. "Hello?" she answered.

"_Hey Buffy!" _

"Dawn!" A smile appeared on her face as she heard her sister's voice through the phone line. She continued to walk, ignoring the feeling that was starting to creep up her spine. She was sure there wasn't any danger just yet.

"_Just wanted to check in and see how things were going." _

"Oh they're going alright. We finally found Angel last night."

"_You did? Buffy, that's great!" _There was a pause. _"It is good news, right? I mean, Angel's okay isn't he?" _

"He's fine. He wasn't so hot when we found him, but he's okay now. We found him trapped at the bottom of the ocean, believe it or not."

"_Are you serious? At the bottom of the ocean? Of all the places to be…"_

"No kidding. The water was freezing cold and I was so scared I was going to run into a shark."

"_How did he even end up down there in the first place?" _

"Long story," The tingling feeling was crawling up her spine again as she rounded the corner and approached the cemetery. Her slayer senses told her that there would be a few vampires rising tonight and she felt anticipation flow through her as she approached one of the graves. "Hey listen, I gotta go. Got some vamps to slay. I'll call you later?"

"_Sure. Be careful!" _

She hung up and placed the phone back into her pocket, just in time to see a fledging rise from its grave. The vampire looked up at her, growling and began to advance towards her. She just grinned, her stake held firmly in her hand. This was her calling and she was finally okay with that. For close to two hours, she twirled, danced and kicked her way through fights. It was a rush when she rammed her stake into their hearts and seeing them turned to dust, that she couldn't deny.

Finally, the night seemed to slow down as no vampires were rising at the moment. The night was still young though, so she decided to hang around the cemetery for a few more hours. Sighing, she sat down on a grave stone and prepared to wait for however long it would take before another vampire rose. The feeling crept up her spine again, reminiscent to the one she had when she was taking on the phone with Dawn earlier. She rolled her eyes and turned around, staring off into the darkness.

"You can come out, you know. I know you're there."

A moment later, Connor came forward from the darkness. He stood before her silently, regarding her with an expression that reminded her of Angel from their early days, back when he had been so mysterious and cryptic (not that he wasn't still!). His back was rigid, his hands in his pockets and the look that he was giving her was _definitely_ all Angel.

If she had any doubts before, she didn't now.

_Wonderful, the brooding thing is genetic. _

She held his gaze. "Just so you know, that whole lurking thing? Bottom line, don't do it. It's creepy. I hated when Angel did it and I'm sure my opinion won't change if you do it."

He shook his head and continued to stare at her. "You are the strangest person I have ever met."

She certainly hadn't been expecting that. "Why thank you!" A pause. "So, why were you following me?"

Connor shrugged, looking unsure of what to say. "I just don't understand," he said after a moment of silence. "You're supposed to fight and kill vampires. Why would you protect him? Why would you _want _to protect him?"

She smiled at him and patted the spot next to her on the grave stone, indicating him to sit next to her. When he did so, she shifted slightly so that she faced him. "Angel is my soul mate," she said, her tone in a matter-of-fact kind of way. "He is and will always be my strongest love. That's enough reason for me to want to protect him."

"So, you were lovers."

She gave a dry humorless chuckle. "I guess you can call it that. It only happened the one time."

"The mark on your neck says otherwise."

"That's a whole other story. There were special circumstances," the slayer shook her head. "My past relationship with Angel is really none of your business."

"But, he's a monster… he killed my father! I don't understand how you could ever become involved with him."

"Did you ever get your facts straight?" Buffy asked. "Were you a hundred percent sure that Angel killed the man who raised you? Because I know Angel and he would never willingly kill a human unless he could help it. If he says he didn't kill him, then I believe him. Maybe this Holtz guy and Justine chick just wanted you to think that."

"He's a demon. That's all the proof I need," Connor said. But there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes that she didn't fail to notice.

Inwardly, Buffy sighed. Apparently, Connor had inherited Angel's stubbornness as well. She shook her head and shrugged. "Well, I don't think there's much I can say to change your mind. I'm sure you've had enough people trying to convince you that Angel's a good guy." Seeing Connor's surprised look made her chuckle. "What? I'm not going to sit here and defend Angel's honor if you're not going to listen. That would be wasted breath."

"You're not going to lecture me? Tell me that Angel is good just because he has a soul?"

Buffy grinned, knowing she definitely had Connor's attention now. _Thank you psychology 101!_

"Well, I'm the one person that can definitely tell you about Angel without his soul, seeing as how I had to fight him for a couple of months. Angelus isn't fun, be glad you've never met him. But yeah, Angel with a soul is definitely more preferable." Buffy turned away from Connor, aware that his gaze was still on her, and stared up at the dark sky. "The way I see it, demons can either be good or bad. Most are destructive and want to kill you, but there are some who are nice, mild mannered and want to help anyway they can," she grinned, thinking affectionately of Clem, the demon with large floppy ears, loose skin and friendly smile. Her smile faded and she shook her head. "Humans aren't so perfect either. They have souls and yet, we've got murders and rapists in the world. How is it fair that we condemn all demons when there are things happening in the world caused by humans?"

There was silence as Connor contemplated her words. For a brief moment, she wondered if she had done the right thing by getting into Angel's business and telling Connor some of the things she knew. She thought over the conversation and decided that no harm had been done, seeing as how she had said things that Connor probably already knew anyway. She reached out and patted the boy on the shoulder. "I'm not saying that you should go and be best friends with Angel or anything, but give him a chance. Trust me, Angel cares about you otherwise he wouldn't try so hard."

"Yeah, I locked him in a box and dropped him into the ocean," Connor said bitterly, rolling his eyes. "I don't think he's going to be so forgiving anytime soon."

Buffy snorted. "Buddy, that's nothing. I stabbed a sword through his stomach and sent him to hell for a couple hundred years. Try beating _that_."

"Are you serious?" He looked incredulous.

"Oh yeah. And I'm pretty sure he still likes me after all that."

As Connor continued to stare at her in disbelief, Buffy couldn't help the pride that welled up within her. She probably shouldn't have meddled into Angel's business but she couldn't help but think she might've had a break through as far as Connor was concerned. Even though Angel had never discussed it with her, she knew her ex-boyfriend well enough that he would desperately want a relationship with his son. Hopefully, her conversation tonight with Connor would be the start of something new for them.

She could only hope so for Angel's sake.

xxx

Review Reply to _Angel-Buffy17_ because she didn't leave me an email address to respond too: Thanks for your review hun! I would love to write a fic where Angel and Buffy get back together permanently and to continue the season with Buffy as a major character but unfortunately I don't think it's going to happen. The outline I have for this fic doesn't extend farther than just a few chapters but I appreciate that you like my story enough to want it to last longer! I've got a few ideas for other fics involving Buffy and Angel, so be on the look out for those! (grins)


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: As much as I wish otherwise, characters do not belong to me but to Joss Whedon (who is absolutely brilliant!)

This was by far the hardest chapter I've had to write yet. It was definitely a struggle, trying to get into Wesley's head and there was an even bigger struggle with his heart-to-heart chat with Buffy. I didn't want to make him as dark as he was on the show, but I definitely wanted to explore that vulnerable side of him. And, this is the end result and hopefully it'll live up to everyone's expectations! I'm pretty happy with it, so hopefully you guys will like it too! Let me know what you think! (grins)

xxx

After her conversation in the graveyard with Connor, Buffy slowly made her way back to Wesley's apartment, wondering if she could actually persuade her former Watcher into coming back to the Hyperion Hotel with her. She also wondered if she was treading dangerous grounds if she actually brought Wesley back with her. After all, she really didn't know how everyone would react to seeing him. Should she really be meddling in affairs that weren't any of her business? Buffy mentally sighed. Well, she was already involved, might as go all the way and really, it could only go one of two ways – she could make things worse or she could make things better.

Hopefully, it would be the latter.

The blonde approached the apartment and opened the door with her key as quietly as possible and stepped inside. "Wes!" she called out, shutting the door behind her and slipping her key back into her pocket. "I'm back!" She was met with silence and she frowned, worry beginning to fill her. "Wes?" she called out again.

She walked further into the apartment and found her former watcher standing by the doors that led to the balcony, staring out into the night's sky. For the millionth time that summer, she was struck by how different Wes was. She hadn't known the Wesley in Sunnydale very well, but at times, she often found that she missed that version of him. Knowing about vampires and demons, discovering prophecies, fighting evil, even coming close to death – it caused a person to grow up and mature faster than one should. She stared at Wesley's back, remembering how he had been and mourned for his lost innocence.

Buffy had no idea what to do or say to snap Wes out of his brooding state. Initially, she had only come to Los Angeles to find Angel, but now she felt she couldn't leave without making sure that everyone was at least on civil terms with one another. It was the least she could do for her former watcher, considering he'd put up with her all summer and hadn't complained once.

Figuring out how to get Wesley back into Angel's good graces, however, was another challenge all together. She and Wes had bonded, that was true, but she had no idea how to help him repair the damaged he had caused. How do you get a vampire to forgive kidnapping a child that shouldn't have existed in the first place? It gave the slayer a headache just thinking about it.

Wes looked at her as she walked towards him. She didn't know how it was possible, but suddenly her former watcher looked more depressed that she had ever seen him. And she had seen a lot of sides to him that summer. Buffy studied him, noting the look of despair in his eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Just contemplating."

"About?"

"Life."

Whoa, heavy topic. Buffy turned and settled herself down onto Wesley's couch, sensing that she was in for another long talk. What was it with everyone? She was a slayer, not a psychiatrist! But then again, she amended; she was probably the only one that could listen without judging. She gestured a hand to the space beside her, indicating for Wesley to sit. When he was settled, she gave him a hard look. "Elaborate."

Her former watcher shrugged, avoiding her gaze. He stared off into a corner of his living room and it was a few minutes before he spoke again. "Where do you think you would be if you weren't the slayer?"

Her eyes narrowed. He was going to play that game, was he? Fine, she would play along – for the moment. She thought about her life before she was called as the slayer and she thought about her life now. Wesley had definitely asked a question that she had thought about often in high school. "I don't know," she answered. "College, probably. Oh, and parties! Normal stuff, you know?"

Wes looked thoughtful as he considered her answer, then he sighed and shook his head. "I have no idea what I would be good at."

"What?"

"It occurred to me today that I have nothing in my life worth living for. My family could care less about my well being. The people I call family, all hate me. The only thing I really know how to do is being a watcher – and I failed at that marvelously. I no longer have a job at Angel Investigations and really, my credentials are not good for anything else," he shook his head once more, looking disgusted with himself. "I have nothing… I am nothing! I should've died in that hospital."

Buffy stared at Wesley in disbelief, unable to really comprehend what he was saying. She had no idea that he was this depressed! All that moping and brooding all summer… she really should've done something before now. Then his words hit her and she felt anger wash over her. She did the first thing that came to mind.

She decked him.

She didn't hit him hard enough that she broke something but she definitely hit hard enough that it would leave a bruise on his face for a couple of weeks.

Wesley's head flew back as she stood up and faced him, her hands on her hips and eyes blazing with anger.

He glared at her, clutching his now bleeding nose. "What the bloody hell was that for?" he asked through gritted teeth.

She glared right back. "I _never_ want to hear those words come out of your mouth ever again, do you understand me?" Wes started to stand, but she pushed him right back down, jabbing a finger into his chest. "I'm not done talking yet," she snapped. "You are NOT nothing, okay? The fact you are still alive after an injury like yours is a miracle! The fact that Angel tried to smother you and failed proves that you're meant to be alive! You should be grateful instead of wallowing and having a pity party for yourself!"

"You wouldn't understand!"

Buffy felt herself become angrier. "I wouldn't understand?" she asked, her voice in a dangerously low whisper. She let out a humorless chuckle and shook her head. "Oh believe me, I understand better than you think! I've been where you're heading buddy, and I'll be damned if I let you destroy yourself! I died _twice_ and came back more screwed up each time and I still managed to go on. Try coming back from heaven and doing everything you can to get yourself killed so you can go back! And excuse me for using a cliché, but time really does heal everything!"

He stared at her. "You were in heaven?"

She felt her anger fade and sadness fill her. "Yeah," she replied quietly, sitting back down on the couch next to him.

Silence. Then –

"What was it like?"

"I was happy," she said with a sad smile. "Happier than I had ever been. No pain. And then Willow brought me back… well, let's just say it wasn't pretty. When I woke up, I was so confused and scared… I didn't know where I was…" she trailed off. "When I finally managed to get free of my coffin, I found demons and fire everywhere. I really thought I was in hell, but it turned out to be Sunnydale in the process of getting destroyed."

"I'm sorry Buffy," Wes' voice was soft.

She shook her head. "I did a lot of stupid things for awhile because I was feeling dead inside and I was so desperate to feel _something_… but I'm okay now." She met Wesley's gaze. "The point is, life is a gift, Wes. It's precious and each moment shouldn't be wasted. It took a long time for me to realize that."

"But I really have nothing left…"

"So change that. One thing I learned, life is all about choices. Sometimes you make good choices and other times bad ones, but either way the outcome isn't always what you expect. We have to fight for what we want, sometimes it's easy and other times it's hard and it's everyday. But it's what we have to do because in the end, you'll only end up hating yourself if you don't do anything at all."

Silence filled the room once again. Buffy could only hope that Wes had listened and would take her advice because she had no idea what to do next. She didn't want her former watcher to fall into the same darkness that she had fallen into; she didn't want him to feel that kind of numbness.

Finally, Wesley sighed. "Thank you, Buffy," he said quietly.

The slayer felt herself relax. Funny, she had no idea she had been _that_ tense. "You're welcome," she smiled. "Nothing like a little perspective, huh?"

He nodded. "Yes…"

"So what are you going to do now?"

"Beg for Angel's forgiveness, I suppose."

"Might wanna start with Fred and Gunn first. Work your way up, you know? Angel wasn't the only person you hurt."

"You're right. This is going to be rather difficult."

"Nothing in life worth having is ever easy," she sighed. "Look at me and Angel."

Wesley regarded her with a solemn look and then smiled slightly. "I appreciate everything you've done for me tonight."

"Don't mention it. Sorry about your nose, it was instinct. Your words just made me so mad!"

"I suppose I deserved it," he mused thoughtfully, and then his expression turned serious. There was almost a frightened look on his face and it made Buffy want to reach out and hug him. He gazed at her with hope shining in his eyes and bit his lip. "Will you come with me to the Hyperion Hotel? I don't think I can go by myself..."

Buffy grinned. "Of course. What are friends for?"

xxx

My apologies for the short chapter, but nothing else would come! Please let me know what you think! Up next, Bangel goodness! (yay!)


	6. Epilogue

Joss Whedon is a genius at writing. That's all I have to say. Enjoy!

xxx

_The "B" word was the love of his life. And he's what, two hundred and fifty? That ain't no short life. This grief-work's gonna take more than a vacation in Sri Lanka._

Charles Gunn, _Heartthrob_ (Season 3, episode 1)

xxx

The view was absolutely beautiful.

City lights were blinking in the distance with all the different colors of the rainbow and if one could photograph it, it would look like a postcard. In the distance, there was the faint sound of ocean waves crashing onto the beach as a lighthouse stood nearby, flashing its light onto the dark waters. There was a cool breeze swaying in the air and it smelled clean and not polluted like it would normally during the day. It was quiet and peaceful and looking at the wonderful scenery, one would never think that there was evil in the world.

Buffy stood leaning forward against the railing on the rooftop of the Hyperion Hotel, gazing out onto the view. Her blonde hair flowed loosely around her as she rested her arms on the cold metal in front of her. She loved the way Los Angeles looked at night, with all its lights and glamour. She took a deep breath, inhaling the air's fresh scent, trying to remember the last time she felt this way… so content with herself and with her life.

It was hard to believe that barely a year had passed since she had been resurrected and almost six months since she had turned her life around. Looking back, Buffy could see just how far she had come emotionally and had grown as an individual – the difference between her now and a year ago was amazing. A year ago, she had been lost and emotionally damaged almost beyond repair. Some of the choices she had made… well, let's just say they weren't some of her better ones. Struggling to live in the world and learning to love life again was one of the hardest things she had ever had to do and she had become a stronger woman for it, even if some of her emotional scars would never fade – at least they were slowly healing.

Her calling as a slayer had changed her life drastically and she had finally come to accept it all – all the good and the bad. She no longer craved for a 'normal life' but rather a peaceful one. What was normal anyway? She sure as hell didn't know anymore. She found that she liked being different and she liked breaking the rules. When she took the time to really think about it, she discovered that she was more than just the slayer.

She was extraordinary.

She was a role model, a sister, a daughter, a friend and a warrior. She was a protector, a caregiver, a leader and she was one of two girls in the entire world with the power and the abilities to fight against evil and for a safe future. Above all, she was a woman and a smart and resourceful one at that. She was determined not to waste her second chance at life, fully intending to live to the fullest and not take anything for granted. She would change the world or die trying, that she was sure of.

She was Buffy Summers and she was proud of her identity.

She stared out into the scene before her and remembered how her life began, here in this very city. The young teenaged girl that was popular and got invited to all the social events of the year seemed like a lifetime ago. Buffy could hardly remember the self absorbed girl she had been. Given the choice, she would never want to go back. She was finally happy with who she was.

A tingle started at the base of her spine, interrupting her musings and the thoughts in her head. The feeling moved slowly down her body until she could feel a strong bolt of electricity hum through her. It hit her all at once, a grave weight that pressed into her from all sides until she felt breathless and she grinned, feeling Angel's presence. She stayed in her position though, giving no indication that she knew he was there and continued to gaze into the night.

It was amazing that they still had a connection, that she was still able to feel him deep down inside. She'd had plenty of time to think about their past relationship over the summer while she searched for him and she came to the conclusion that as far as Angel was concerned, she would never regret a single thing – except for maybe the time she sent him to hell. What Buffy had told Fred and Gunn a few nights ago was true – Angel had ruined her for anyone else. She could never love anyone else the way she loved him. Goodness knew she had tried, but the fact remained that Angel will always be the only one to ever truly hold her heart. And if given the choice to go back in time, she would live through the pain and anguish again in a heartbeat if it meant experiencing Angel's love no matter how short their time together had been.

Buffy shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she turned and stared into the dark shadows. She couldn't see Angel but she knew he was standing there, watching her. "You know, the whole lurking thing is getting so old," she called out. "You really should think of a new approach."

She heard a chuckle and her heart sped up as Angel suddenly appeared out of the darkness and began walking towards her. He looked healthy again – his skin no longer in the gray, cracked, waxy and sunken condition it had been in. He no longer looked weak and walked with his usual grace and quiet confidence. Not to mention, Buffy privately thought that there should be laws against how handsome he looked that night. Was she biased? Probably. She turned back to face the scenery again as Angel came to stand beside her and for a few minutes, the two stood, enjoying each other's company and feeling comfortable with the silence. It felt like old times.

The slayer stood there, thinking over the past few days since she had brought Wes back to the hotel with her. Slowly, but surely, everyone was getting use to the former Watcher's presence again. The biggest surprise was how civil Gunn had been. Who would've ever thought? With Fred's help with the books, Wesley had thrown himself into full research mode, doing everything he could to help locate Cordelia – who was still missing. And because she didn't do research, Buffy had gone out to patrol every night since Angel was still recovering from his ocean activities and twice, to her great surprise, Connor had joined her. They had made a surprisingly good team against the creatures of the night.

Yes, it had been a strange couple of days.

Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her and she broke the silence, glancing up at the man next to her as she did so. "So, how'd you know I was up here?"

He met her gaze and a shiver went down her spine. How could that gaze still have the same affect on her? It made her feel sixteen again. "I saw you come up here."

"Oh," she paused and tried to think of something else to say. She was beginning to feel a little awkward. "Well, congrats. You found Buffy!"

Silence ensued.

Buffy stayed silent, waiting for Angel to say what he wanted to say. It was times like these that the blonde knew that whatever Angel wanted to talk to her about; he would when he was ready. She suspected that he wanted answers and she hoped that whatever he would ask, she could answer. She still wasn't sure she knew the entire story.

Angel was still looking at her, gazing down at her with the intensity that always seemed to be there whenever she was around him. She felt his eyes studying her, as if he was trying to memorize every detail he could. It made her feel a little self-conscious and she ran her right hand through her long hair. She hadn't had a chance to shower yet after her patrol that night and she could only imagine how she looked.

As if he sensed her insecurity, Angel reached out and grabbed Buffy's hand, pulling it from her hair and clasping it tight in his own. "You're beautiful," he told her softly.

Buffy blushed, trying to remain calm as her heart rate sped up. "Yeah well," she said, trying to sound nonchalant. "It's dark. Look at me after I shower." She didn't pull her hand away, content to let it stay where it was.

He shook his head. "You're always beautiful to me. That will never change."

She smiled and let out a chuckle. She had no idea why she found that funny but she couldn't help laughing. She was happier than anything else though, at the fact that Angel still found her attractive. She gave him a fond glance, feeling extremely flattered. "How are you feeling?"

Angel stood gazing at her, still holding onto her hand. If he had his way, he would never let it go and would hold onto it forever. Here, in front of him, stood the girl – no, _woman_, that had changed his life in so many ways. For a moment, memories of when he first saw her filtered through his mind. With just one glance, the young, beautiful, innocent girl had changed his entire way of living and he had fallen in love for the very first time. Now, she was standing here no longer innocent, but still young and very beautiful and he still loved her with all of his heart. He blinked, suddenly realizing that Buffy was looking at him, waiting for him to answer her question. He squeezed her hand lightly. "I'm all better, thanks to you."

Buffy's smile because wider and then she shook her head slightly. "I'm glad to hear it. And I don't deserve all the credit; I had a lot of help from Wesley."

While that statement was true, as far as Angel was concerned, Buffy had been the one to save him. "How did you know that I needed help? Everyone told me that they had no clue where I was."

She stared at him, her green eyes taking in his look of curiosity and for the first time, she wondered if their connection was as strong for him like it was for her. Once upon a time she would've said yes, sure of his feelings for her without a doubt… but it had been years since they had been together… She didn't know but she liked to think that if she had truly been in trouble, Angel would've done anything to help her. It was a very nice thought. She held Angel's gaze, turning her hand in his so that their fingers intertwined and she gave it a squeeze. She brought her left hand up to her chest and placed it right above her heart. She watched as his gaze followed her left hand and then looked at her questioningly, his eyes searching hers for answers. She smiled softly. "I told you before, Angel," she said, the tone of her voice was gentle. "I feel you inside. I felt your soul crying for help… crying for me…"

Though he had no need to, Angel had a sharp intake of breath. He was remembering now exactly what he had felt as Connor and Justine pushed his box down into the ocean. He closed his eyes as the images vividly played over in his mind like a movie. The saying that life flashed before your eyes when you were in danger wasn't just true for people that were alive, it was true for the undead as well. As his box had dropped into the ocean, images had flashed through his mind of all the pivotal moments in his unlife. Doyle's death… Connor's kidnapping… Fred's rescue from Pylea… Gunn and Lorne's teasing… Wesley's betrayal… losing his soul in Sunnydale… Darla driving him over the edge… Cordelia trying to bring him out of his shell… seeing Buffy for the first time ever… the pain he felt when he learned of her death… the first time he and Buffy made love… their forgotten day… etc.

His last thought before his box had hit the ocean had been of Buffy.

A flourish of emotions rushed through him and he took a step closer to her, never breaking his gaze from hers. He was close enough to feel her body heat radiating from her and with one tug of her hand he could pull her into his arms. He resisted the urge to do what his heart wanted though, and instead chose to smile at her. Both of them had changed so much, but standing here with her, he felt like he did four years ago – before he left her, before he lost his soul – light, happy and all he could see was Buffy. "I'm glad you found me," he said softly. "Saying 'thanks' just doesn't seem like enough."

The slayer shook her head. "Angel, you never have to say thanks. I'll always be here to help you, no matter what."

There was a brief silence and Angel smiled slightly. "You know it's the same for you, right? I'll always help you any way I can."

She nodded. "I know."

From that point on, their conversation turned to heavy topics. They held nothing back from one another, telling each other everything that had happened since their separation years ago. Angel explained the circumstances of Connor's birth, his tryst with Darla and the long held grudge that Holtz had against him. He had been surprised at how calm Buffy had been when he mentioned Connor. All she had done was smile and said that the fact he had a child was miracle. She was happy for him. In return, Buffy told Angel all the events from her life in the past year including her time with Spike, her attempts to get back into heaven and her reaction at hearing his baby news. Angel hadn't looked very surprised when she told him she had been in heaven but nonetheless pulled her into his arms. She told him her fears when she had discovered he was missing, how she felt when Wes explained everything that had happened with Angel's life, her newfound friendship with Wesley and everything that had happened with Willow in the past few months.

"I'm really sorry I wasn't here for you," he told her.

She smiled and shook her head. "Things are okay now. Well, as okay as things can be I guess. All last year I've had to worry about finding a job to pay the bills, while worrying about slaying and to make it even worse, Giles went back to England. But I understand why he did it, you know? He wanted me to grow up and to be honest, I'm really glad I was able to." She looked up at him, pride in her eyes. "I'm a much stronger person now, Angel. Not just physically, but emotionally. I've finally realized who I am and I'm proud of that. I feel like I can take anything that comes my way. Being a slayer isn't as much of a burden now."

Angel smiled back at her, happy that she had finally realized what he had known for years. He held her tighter, his eyes closing as he enjoyed being near her again. It had been too long… he breathed deeply, taking in her scent. It had definitely been way too long. Suddenly, Buffy pulled away and he frowned, reaching for her again. He wasn't ready to let go of her just yet. But Buffy didn't want to be pulled back into his arms and she was looking at him as if something had just occurred to her. He felt… worried.

"Angel," she began quietly. "I'm going to ask you something and I want you to answer it honestly, okay? I want the truth no matter what."

He nodded, anxiousness filling him.

"Are… are you and Cordelia dating now?" she asked.

His eyes widened… of all the things he had expected her to say, this wasn't one of them. "How…?" he croaked. "How did you find out?"

She gave him a wry smile. "When I said Wes told me everything… he told me _everything_. We had a lot of time this summer to get to know one another. And you know, he's not a bad guy. I like him better now than I ever did in Sunnydale. I respect him a lot now - guess it's all a part of growing up."

Angel shook his head. "There was never anything between me and Cordy… for awhile there, I thought… but nothing happened." He reached out and grabbed her again, and this time Buffy allowed him to pull her back into his arms. He leaned back slightly and brought her gaze to meet his. "Truth is… I was lonely. And Cordy was there… she had seen everything that had happened between us… and she had been there throughout the past couple of years… but Buffy," he paused, staring at her straight in the eye. "I don't love her like that. I thought I did but all that time spent down at the bottom of the ocean made me realize something… in my very long life there's only ever been one woman that I love and that's you."

Buffy smiled, feeling tears come to her eyes. "Really?"

"Yes. I love Cordelia, yes, but like a sister. I've only ever really loved you. I still love you, I hope you know that."

She smiled and Angel felt that if his heart could beat, his heart rate would be through the roof. When her smile was directed at him, there was nothing better in the world than that. "I still love you, too," she whispered. "I've never stopped."

Time seemed to slow down for the two as their lips met in a sweet kiss. It wasn't the kind of innocent kiss shared between two good friends upon the discovery of their feelings nor was it the kind of kiss that ignited passion between two lovers. It was the kind of kiss that was full of respect and love for one another and acknowledgement that while the time might not be now, someday they would be together. With all they had been through, there was no way that they would _not _end up together. Fate couldn't be that cruel. It was certain that they would have their someday, they were sure of it.

Buffy and Angel pulled apart (though still stood with their arms around each other) smiling at one another as they did so. There was no need for words as their once dulled connection was now renewed and understanding flowed between them. They would be in each other's hearts for always and that was something that would never change. For the first time since his rescue from the ocean, Angel felt hope filling him. It didn't escape his notice that it was once again Buffy who had been the one to restore it. She was his salvation.

They stood up on the roof in each other's embrace for hours, both content with the silence and company. It was a few minutes before sunrise before Buffy broke the silence with a sigh. Her gaze broke away from the slowly brightening sky and she turned to face him. "I'm going to have to go back to Sunnydale soon," she said quietly. "What are we going to do now?"

He held her gaze and his arms tightened around her. "We keep in touch," he vowed. "Letters, phone calls – I'll even learn how to use email."

The blonde giggled. "Angel using email," she mused. "That's something I have to see."

"I'll do it for you," he promised. Then his expression turned serious. "It's going to work this time Buffy. I believe. You make me believe."

That was all the reassurance Buffy needed. She smiled at him and pulled him down for one more kiss before pulling away. "Come on," she said as she tugged on his arm, steering him away from the dawning day. "Let's get you inside before the sun turns you into vampire ash."

xxx

Buffy's goodbyes were bittersweet later that afternoon as she threw her bags into the backseat of her car and slammed the door shut. It was finally time for her to go back to Sunnydale and back to her responsibilities whether she wanted to or not. Dawn had called, informing the slayer that Giles was sending Willow home in a few days and Buffy wanted to be there to welcome her friend home. Wesley, Fred, Gunn, Connor and Angel all stood in the shadows by the front doors of the Hyperion Hotel watching her as she turned back and walked towards them. Fred approached her first, followed by Gunn and she was surprised when Fred threw her arms around her and gave her a warm hug, pulling back with a bright smile. Gunn gave her an equally enthusiastic hug that made Buffy glad that she'd had the opportunity to meet them.

As she turned to him, Connor regarded Buffy with a look of what could only be respect and she smiled at him, feeling her maternal instincts kick in. She pulled the young boy into her arms and gave him a quick but firm hug, whispering in his ears as she did so. "Always remember to hear both sides of the story before you make a decision. Look me up in Sunnydale if you ever need anything, okay?" She pulled back and was happy to see Connor nod and smile at her. Maybe things wouldn't be so hopeless between him and Angel after all.

Wesley then approached and Buffy had no qualms about hugging her former watcher. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight, thankful for everything he had done for her over the last few months. Wesley's friendship was something she now deeply valued. She felt his arms go around her, returning her hug and she grinned widely. She pulled back and looked at him straight in the eye. "You will always have a friend in me," she told him, noting the way Wes stood taller at her words, as if he was proud to hear her say them. "Call me if you ever need to talk about anything – and I mean, _anything, _even if it's about the weather."

Wesley nodded. "I will Buffy. Thank you for everything. Be safe."

Buffy gave him another smile before turning to the person that would be the hardest to say goodbye to. Angel regarded her with a look of sorrow on his face as he pulled her into a hug. She felt tears come to her eyes as she breathed in his unique scent. They shared one more kiss before she pulled away. She hated goodbyes.

"You'll be careful, right?" Angel whispered.

Buffy nodded and kissed him once more with gentleness. "I'll be fine. Take care of yourself okay? I love you."

"I will." He hugged her tightly, pain gripping in his chest. He couldn't believe that he had to watch her walk away again after they'd only just found each other again. It was more painful than he remembered it being. "I love you, too. Never doubt that."

"Promise me you'll give Wes another chance," she whispered in his ear.

This time it was Angel who pulled back. He looked at her and nodded. "I'll try," he replied.

Buffy stepped away from his embrace and grinned, though there were still tears in her eyes. "That's good enough for me," she laughed. Her gazed traveled around the five people in front of her once more. "Take care of each other, okay guys? And let me know when you find Cordelia, will you?"

"We will," Gunn answered. "Take care, girl."

"Come back and visit!" Fred waved.

"If you ever need help in Sunnydale, please call us." Wes took a step forward. "We'll do anything we can."

Buffy opened the door to her car and slid in, slamming the door shut. She rolled down the window and grinned at them once more. "I'll keep that in mind. Bye guys!" And with one last look at Angel, she pulled out of the drive way and onto the road.

To her, the future had never looked brighter.

xxx


End file.
